They Went That-a-Way - Part 1

Steps...

(1) Find the men who tried to kill you. (2) (Optional) Talk to Victor in Goodsprings about your rescue. (3) Inquire about your delivery assignment with the administrator of the Mojave Express in Primm. (4) Find Primm's lawman to get information on where your attackers went. (5) Head to Novac through Nipton. Ask around Novac about your attackers. (6) Find out from Manny Vargas where the Khans were headed. (7) Intercept the Great Khans at Boulder City.

This main quest is the first dangerous mission of the entire game (and an extremely lengthy one at that), which allows New Vegas to keep up with Fallout 3 in terms of how quickly you get into the meat of the game. Keep in mind that you don't necessarily have to proceed with the main quest once you've completed Back in the Saddle. You could explore the Mojave Wasteland, or undertake some Side Quests , or go wherever the game may take you. But if you want to continue, let's get to it. Your next destination is the town of Primm, which is located due south along I-15 from Goodsprings. Simply activate this quest as your waypoint and follow your compass to reach it rather easily. En route to the outskirts of Primm, expect to run into all sorts of basic Mojave Wasteland enemies, including Bloatflies and Geckos. (Keep in mind that you can optionally seek out the robot Victor in Goodsprings and speak with him, if you haven't already done so.)

You'll know you've reached the outskirts of Primm when you run into a fence surrounding what was at one time a modern settlement. You'll need to figure out a way to sneak on in to this area, however. There are friendly NCR guards posted at random places around the settlement, but don't expect them to necessarily jump into fights here to help you. And you're going to be finding some trouble, since there are four or five convicts -- some armed with guns, others with melee weapons -- that will attack you as soon as you show your face in Primm. Your best bet, as usual, is to draw out your enemies, and then retreat. This will allow the melee weapon-wielding weapons to chase you. You can then kill them in isolation before returning to town to take on their better-equipped friends. Oh, and a friendly word of warning about those NCR soldiers. Don't steal from them, or you'll be in for a world of hurt! Their ammunition is their ammunition, and you don't want to get on their wrong side. At least, not yet.

When you work your way into the heart of the town, you'll find a few buildings that you can enter and explore. One of them is called Vikki and Vance Casino. That's where you'll need to head to next, but don't just run in there willy-nilly. First, explore the settlement to be sure that all other enemies are cleared. Chances are, the foes that didn't follow you when you ran for it a little earlier will be roaming the city streets. These guys likely have guns and explosives. If a foe is about to throw explosives at you, try to target the explosives in their hand to detonate it with VATS, thus eliminating both the explosive and the enemy that was throwing it at you. When all is cleared, and you've scoured the dead bodies for any goods you may want, you can then head into Vikki and Vance Casino.

As soon as you enter Vikki and Vance Casino, you'll run into a man named Johnson Nash. Nash is a kindly old gentleman who will be more than willing to talk to you at length about any number of issues. You'll learn a great deal about the town of Primm, the plight of the town, and about Johnson Nash himself as you speak with him. Ultimately, you'll get a few important details. Firstly, Primm's deputy lawman has been kidnapped by the Powder Gangers and is being kept in a location known as Bison Steve (which will open up the Side Quest called My Kind of Town). Secondly, you'll learn about the horrendous, deteriorating condition of the town. And thirdly, you'll learn that lawlessness rules the day now that there's no one official to protect Primm residents from the Powder Gangers that escaped from NCR control.